A Sixth Sense
by Shutupnkissme313
Summary: Inspiration came from the Memorial Day marathon of SVU on USA network. Six years after the episode 'Smoked' Benson and Stabler have their reunion although there is one major change from that episode.


_**A/N: First 'publishing' of an SVU fic; although I have another one outlined and sitting for about a year waiting in line. I will readily admit I am not up to date on the show, my interest waned when they started rotating special guest stars as ADA's, but did culminate with Stabler's departure as neither Rollins nor Amaro captured my interest. Do not own anything within the Dick Wolf realm. Please feel free to review and I try to respond to all of them. For those waiting for my next chapter of my Chuck story know that I am working on it, but this story refused to let me ignore it.**_

 **A Sixth Sense**

"Liv… Liv, I need you to open those gorgeous eyes for me, sleepyhead."

"Mmfff… No, El… Tired and sore… Five more minutes." Hearing a familiar soft chuckle and her own words caused Olivia's brain to begin working feverishly. Although it didn't feel like a dream she didn't want to open her eyes and not find him there. For the six years since he disappeared from her life she'd been able to keep the thoughts of him at bay while awake. The nights were a different story; clearly she'd witnessed enough to fill a couple of lifetimes worth of nightmares, but the worst mornings, even more than Lewis fueled ones, were the ones whose last thoughts were of her partner because once she awakened the smile caressing her face would disappear by the knowledge of his absence.

Taking a breath to calm herself knowing there was to be another disappointing morning she cautiously opened one eye. The sight before her caused the other eye to open and her body to bolt upright. Tilting his head to peer up at her with concern and something she did not want to admit just yet the one thought that immediately sprung to mind was _'Were his eyes always that blue?'_

"It's going to be alright, beautiful." He lifted his head off his hands it was resting on as he started to stand.

Olivia's initial reaction was to blush not just from his words, but the way he said it. She was going to respond, but felt the tears falling. Her eyes made a radical shift from the surprise to delight as rage began to fill them. Elliot easily recognized the shift, but found himself admiring her passion and smiled. Seeing the smile provoked Olivia further as she swung to slap the smile off his face while screaming, "You left me!"

The slap did not connect which puzzled Olivia until she was soon encompassed by a warmth and scent that provided both comfort and safety. The result of this relaxation was a release of the emotions she had kept bottled up for so many years. Hearing his soothing voice practically begging her to 'let it all out' she readily complies. She loses track of time having no idea how long he's been holding her, but not wanting to separate anytime soon she turns to confirm once again whose arms she is in.

Quietly she asks, "Why did you leave and why are you back now?"

Elliot stills for a second before he kisses her temple and pulls away slightly causing a whimper to escape Olivia followed by a slight giggle from both. She looks up to the man in front of her and recognizes the sorrow and guilt forming, "For the first question I wish I had any other choice; the second you should understand in a few minutes."

A small frown developed on Olivia's face before she stated, "I know IAB was going to put you through the ringer, but we could have gotten through it together. I needed my partner, but after shooting Jenna you walked away and I never hear from you again… until now."

Watching the confusion form on Elliot's face brought the same look on hers as he appeared to be processing some information and not quite believing the conclusions he was coming up with. He started to say something, but stopped and instead stared into her eyes while his were sad with the realization he found. "Do you trust me?" Elliot cautiously asked.

Olivia couldn't recall him ever sounding like that, but merely nodded her head to signify that she did trust him. "Tell me what you remember while you were holding Sister Peg."

Before she could respond he had placed his hands on her cheeks and delivered a chaste kiss on her lips that Olivia successfully slightly escalated. As Elliot pulled away he could feel her hand fisted onto his shirt and see when she opened her eyes she wasn't necessarily happy about his ending the kiss until she saw how troubled his eyes looked. Quickly surmising this guilt was Kathy related she began to utter an apology, but he was quicker to the draw and placed a finger on her lips and shushed her. A somewhat playful fire burned in her eyes which brought a tiny smile to Elliot's face.

"What do you remember after Jenna pointed the gun at you?"

"I heard a shot and everything slowed down as I was certain I was hit when I saw the muzzle flash as Jenna began to fall. I turned my head to Sister Peg and after realizing I was still alive and that she was dead I looked over to Jenna and saw Fin rush over to kick away her gun and gave me the signal that she was dead. I looked back and saw your gun on the floor and I called for you, but it seemed like the room filled with people and noise and I couldn't concentrate so I called your name again and you didn't answer. Everything else seemed to blur together until I woke up the next morning and my stomach was in knots. I kept calling and leaving voice messages for you… When I got back to the precinct, Captain told me you put in your papers and we agreed you earned it."

Olivia quickly recognized the look Elliot was giving her as one to a witness who was withholding some information; not out of malice, but because it would be painful for them to express it. "Liv, when you looked back and saw my gun was there anything else you saw?" He enveloped Olivia in a loose hug after his question.

Olivia welcomed the contact and with reluctance brought up that memory once again. "Ok, I looked back and saw your gun… I was surprised at first that Fin was the one to approach Jenna… I looked back to the gun and followed it back and saw a hand… your… no… No! It was not your hand because you left. It couldn't be because you're here." Olivia solidified her argument by squeezing Elliot and thumping his back with every word of the last sentence. Her confidence began to seep away as she was getting no feedback from her partner, "Elliot, you're here," came out meekly.

"I would have never left you like that Olivia. I couldn't… I think I need to show you something; just hold on for a second."

"El… stop I'm nowhere near prepared to go outside dressed like… Where are we?" Olivia quickly answered the question for herself as the rows of tombstones eliminated any sort of surprise. Elliot struggled to release himself from Olivia's grip, but maintained contact by placing his arms around her waist. He couldn't come up with a name to describe the sound that Olivia uttered upon reading the engraving on this particular marker. Elliot placed his forehead on her shoulder to let her know that he was still there while trying to give her a semblance of privacy, by not looking at her until she was ready to do something.

After a few minutes Olivia whispered, "I hated you."

Elliot looked up at that and seeing her broken like never before swallowed audibly and nodded his head. Olivia's lips trembled as she spoke again, "When Lewis had me, I was waiting for you. I couldn't imagine anybody else coming through that door and when it wasn't you… I knew nothing was going to bring you back to me."

The sob that followed brought Elliot to pull Olivia back in an embrace and turned her body so she wasn't facing the marker anymore. He closed his eyes trying to focus his energies on relaxing Olivia which also helped to distract him from his not quite benevolent thoughts regarding William Lewis. Sparing a glance at Olivia she looked spent so he quickly said, "I'm taking you back."

A worried look took over her face as they were back to the room she had woken up at as she pleaded, "Don't leave me."

Elliot smiled as he placed some wayward hairs off her face to behind her ear he swept in for another short kiss. Watching her face turn to a dreamy smile he whispered, "I'm with you as long as you'll have me. Semper fidelis."

When he pulled back, he saw that the exhaustion had overcome her. He placed another small kiss on her lips as he grasped her hand and waited.

A sudden sound caused Olivia to jolt and looking over at the three men at the foot of the bed she couldn't help but let out a pained cry. A squeeze of her hand usurped her full attention as she followed the hand to her partner and leapt out of the bed into his arms. As a few moments pass her curiosity hits as to why Fin, Munch, and Don aren't saying anything. She turns to look and sees their bereaved faces, looks back to the bed and the equipment surrounding it as all the clues fall into place. Elliot sensing Olivia has fully realized what has happened holds her and whispers once again, "It's ok," this time he adds something to ease her conscience, "You left Noah in good hands. I trust my source on that."

Olivia pulls back and raises an eyebrow until Elliot's overemphasized slow nod assures her that he is being completely serious with her. "So this means that I'm…" This time the nod is quick and short, "But you said you're with me…" again Elliot's response is another quick nod, "So, we're going up there?"

Elliot gave a quick kiss to her forehead before he smiled at her, "Well we do have to speak with Peter first, but I have faith in you Liv. I'll take you to see Noah and then we'll head up, ok?"

Olivia nodded her head and looked at their clasped hands; both of them smiling as they left the room without drawing the attention of the three men who had barely moved since stopping at the positions they occupied upon entering the room.

 _ **A/N: This is a projected one-shot unless there is a clamoring for a follow up. This was a stream of consciousness story; started and finished in seven hours which for me is unbelievably quick. Basis for the story came from Memorial Day and SVU marathon on USA this weekend while thinking of a reason that made sense why Stabler wouldn't contact Benson after leaving. Thanks for reading.**_


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